Question 1

A public health nurse is involved in health care reform. Which of the following best explains why the nurse is involved in these efforts?

Accepted Answer

Public health nurses have been involved in health care reform for several years. An emphasis of reform is that health promotion and disease prevention appear to yield reduction in costs and illness/injury incidence while increasing years of healthy life.

Question 2

A nurse working with Mary Breckinridge would have likely assisted with: (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

Mary Breckinridge developed health programs geared toward improving the health care of the rural and often inaccessible populations in the Appalachian regions of southern Kentucky. Breckinridge introduced the first nurse-midwives into the United States when she deployed FNS nurses trained in nursing, public health, and midwifery. Their efforts led to reduced pregnancy complications and maternal mortality, and to one-third fewer stillbirths and infant deaths in an area of 700 square miles. Lillian Wald established the Henry Street Settlement.

Question 3

A nurse is considering applying for a position as a public health nurse. Which of the following would be a reason this position would be appealing?

Accepted Answer

In-patient acute care nurses (not public health nurses) focus on acute care with outcomes known fairly quickly. Unlike in-patient nursing, in which there are other health care professionals and staff with whom to interact, public health nursing is known for its autonomy and independence.

Question 4

Which client would have been most likely to receive care from the Frontier Nursing Service?

Accepted Answer

The Frontier Nursing Service nurses were trained in nursing public health and midwifery and provided care to rural and inaccessible areas, which led to reduced mortality.

Question 5

Why did American citizens become interested in establishing government-controlled boards of health?

Accepted Answer

Threat of disease, especially yellow fever, led to public interest in establishing government-sponsored, or official, boards of health.

Question 6

A nurse was employed by the Marine Hospital Service in 1800. Which of the following interventions would the nurse most likely have completed?

Accepted Answer

Providing health care to seamen was an early effort by the federal government to improve public health. The purpose of the Marine Hospital Service was to secure its maritime trade and seacoast cities.

Question 7

Which of the following would have been the focus of a school nurse in the early 20th century?

Accepted Answer

Early school nursing focused on investigating causes of absenteeism, not providing medical treatment. That was the responsibility of physicians.

Question 8

A nurse is considering joining the American Public Health Association. What information about this organization should be considered when making this decision?

Accepted Answer

APHA was formed to facilitate interprofessional efforts and promote the "practical application of public hygiene." The Public Health Section within APHA provides nurses with a forum to discuss their concerns and strategies. It also serves as a focus of leadership and policy development for community/public health nursing.

Question 9

The Elizabeth Poor Law of 1601 is similar to which current law?

Accepted Answer

The Poor Law guaranteed medical care for poor, blind, and "lame" individuals, similar to Medicaid.

Question 10

A public health nurse is compiling information about how to promote early detection of breast cancer in women. Which document would most likely provide useful information about this topic?

Accepted Answer

The Healthy People documents propose a national strategy to improve significantly the health of Americans by preventing or delaying the onset of major chronic illnesses, injuries, and infectious diseases.

Question 11

Why were nurses so unprepared for public health nursing in the early twentieth century?

Accepted Answer

Nursing school courses taught in diploma schools of nursing emphasized hospital care of patients; thus, nurses were unprepared for home visiting.

Question 12

A nurse is reviewing the original work of the National Organization for Public Health Nursing. Which of the following accomplishments of today was started within this organization?

Accepted Answer

The National Organization for Public Health Nursing sought to standardize public health nursing. The Henry Street Settlement was already in existence. The baccalaureate degree in nursing was not developed yet.

Question 13

Why did the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company establish and retain for several years the first community nursing health program for policyholders?

Accepted Answer

Metropolitan Life saw an average decline of 7% in the mortality rate of policyholders and almost a 20% decline in the deaths of children. The insurance company attributed this improvement and the associated reduced costs to the visiting nurses.

Question 14

Which of the following nurses is famous for creating public health nursing in the United States?

Accepted Answer

Lillian Wald established the Henry Street Settlement and later emerged as the established leader of public health nursing during its early decades.

Question 15

A colonist is working in the public health sector in early colonial America. Which of the following activities would have likely been completed?

Accepted Answer

The other choices are events that happened after the colonial period.

Question 16

A public health nurse is determining what type of programming should be developed for the community. Which of the following is the most crucial factor that will influence program development?

Accepted Answer

Programs are designed to fit funding priorities; thus, the areas supported by Congress determine the categories in which most effort is focused locally.

Question 17

How did Florence Nightingale help bring about community health nursing? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

Nightingale progressively improved the soldiers' health using a population-based approach that improved both environmental conditions and nursing care. Using simple epidemiology measures, she documented a decreased mortality rate to demonstrate the outcomes.

Question 18

How did the Industrial Revolution result in previous caregiving approaches, such as care by families, friends, and neighbors, becoming inadequate?

Accepted Answer

Care became inadequate because of the social changes in Europe, with great advances in transportation, communication, and other technologies. The increased mobility led to migration and urbanization, which in turn led to increased need for care.

Question 19

What was the outcome of the Shattuck Report?

Accepted Answer

It took 19 years for the first of Shattuck's recommendations to be implemented, but his report was the first effort to create a modern public health organization.

Question 20

A nursing student during World War II would likely join which group?

Accepted Answer

The Bolton Act of 1943 established the Cadet Nurse Corps during World War II, which increased enrollment in schools of nursing at undergraduate and graduate levels.

Quiz 2: The History of Public Health and Public and Community Health Nursing